It’s the end of The Last Supper…

Joke Poo: The Potluck Problem

It’s the end of the neighborhood potluck…

and Mrs. Higgins brings the sign-up sheet to Mildred.

Mrs. Higgins: Here you go, Mildred. Let’s see who brought what.

Mildred: Alright, ladies, whose dish was the deviled eggs?

Brenda: I made them last time, and Carol brought the potato salad, so it must be… Gertrude.

Gertrude: Yep, that was me – takes the sign-up sheet from Mildred –

Gertrude (in shock): “Deviled Eggs: $30?” Where am I going to find thirty dollars worth of deviled eggs on a Tuesday night? I only used six!

Okay, let’s break down this joke and see what comedic gold we can extract.

Joke Dissection:

• Setup: The Last Supper is over, setting the scene for a mundane, modern problem: paying the bill.
• Subversion: We expect the disciples to have a deep, spiritual discussion, but instead, they are dealing with everyday financial squabbles.
• Irony: The punchline hinges on the historical significance of “30 silver coins,” the price Judas was paid to betray Jesus. The joke flips this serious, tragic event into a common issue – not having enough cash on hand.
• Anachronism: The use of modern slang (“Where the fuck am I gonna find…?”) thrown into a biblical setting adds humor.

Key Elements:

• The Last Supper: Iconic historical and religious event.
• Judas: Traitor, associated with betrayal and money.
• 30 Silver Coins: Symbol of betrayal and greed.
• Paying the Bill: Mundane, relatable modern problem.
• Anachronistic Language: Creates comedic clash.

Comedic Enrichment:

Now, let’s use these elements to create a new joke/observation:

Option 1: A “Did You Know?”-Style Observation:

“Did you know that if inflation had affected Judas’s payment, and he’d been paid the equivalent of 30 silver coins in today’s money, Jesus’s betrayal would have cost somewhere between $1,000 and $10,000, depending on the type of coin and the market value of silver? Imagine the disciples splitting that bill!”

Why it’s funny:

• It takes the 30 silver coins concept and applies modern economic thinking.
• The absurdity of quantifying the value of betrayal in today’s money is humorous.
• The callback to splitting the bill ties it back to the original joke’s premise.

Option 2: A New Joke Based on the Theme:

Jesus: “Okay, guys, listen up. I’ve been thinking about this whole ‘betrayal’ thing. Judas, I know you’re a little short on cash, so here’s the plan: We start a GoFundMe. ‘Help Jesus Avoid Betrayal! Every Silver Coin Counts!'”

Why it’s funny:

• It continues the anachronistic application of modern concepts to the Last Supper.
• The idea of crowd-funding to prevent betrayal is absurd.
• It plays on the idea of Judas’s financial motive.

Option 3: Witty Observation

“You know, history books always focus on the betrayal and the crucifixion, but nobody ever talks about who picked up the wine bill at the Last Supper. I bet that was even more expensive than Judas’s finder’s fee.”

Why it’s funny:

• It reframes the Last Supper and injects a new (and hilarious) perspective
• It implies that there were other, hidden expenses associated with the last supper

I have tried to capture the essence of the original joke – the collision of the sacred and the mundane – and create something that expands on the humor, either through factual absurdity or an unexpected modern twist.